FIG. 1 depicts a conventional buffered optical waveguide 7. Conventional buffered optical waveguide 7 includes an optical fiber 1 and a buffer layer 5. Optical fiber 1 generally includes a core 1a, a cladding 1b, and a coating 1c. Core 1a has an index of refraction that is greater than that of cladding 1b, thereby promoting internal reflection for transmitting optical signals. At the time of manufacture, cladding 1b is typically coated with one or more layers of coating 1c such as a UV-curable acrylate polymer. Typical outer diameters for these components are about 10 microns for a single mode core (or 50-62.5 microns for a multimode core), 125 microns for the cladding, and 250 microns for the coating. A buffer layer 5 is extruded over the coating 1c to protect the optical fiber from stresses and/or strains. One common buffer layer 5 typically has an outer diameter of about 900 microns to protect the optical fiber. Buffer layer 5 is extruded over optical fiber 1 in a relatively hot liquid form and quenched in a water trough. The buffer layer 5 can be either tight or loose, depending on the degree of coupling between optical fiber 1 and buffer layer 5. In both cases the layer 5 must be stripped from the optical fiber before an optical connection to the optical fiber can be made.
End users have generic requirements for the stripability of buffer layer 5 from optical fiber 1 so that optical connections can easily be performed. For example, in certain connectorized assemblies there is a need to strip tight buffered fiber up to 30″ or more to the 250 um coating for furcation purposes. This is currently very difficult to do and requires multiple passes with stripping tool such as a Miller tool. The multiple passes often results in damage to the fiber or breaking the fiber before the desired length of buffer has been removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,597,000 proposes an alternative buffer tube access feature, in which preferential tear lines, such as longitudinally-extending slits, are formed on the buffer tube exterior. The slits allow the buffer tube to be separated into halves to provide access to the optical fiber. Non-round buffer tubes, however, may meet with resistance from certain customers.